Intergalactic Summit

Recent events are already setting off the journals in fits of chin-wagging, jaw-stroking, and temple-scratching regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the Caldari system, with radical articles published to gain as maximum a readership as possible, and then counter-radical articles published to similarly gain attention. As always, the truth of the matter is somewhere in between these polarizing opinion pieces. When the crisis subsides, we'll likely see moderate, introspective, and reflective articles that encapsulate that.

The ongoing civil strife within the State is a prototypical example of the greatest flaw with dictatorship; it can only be removed by force. It is my personal opinion that a corrupt democracy is superior to an efficient dictatorship because of that exact reason. A corrupt democracy can be corrected peaceably. The last political crisis in the Federation was President Souro Foiritan's attempted nationalization of the arms industry. This did not end with bloodshed, but instead procedures to a vote of no confidence and ultimately an executive resignation. Something like Haatamo is far less likely to occur in the Federation than it is in the State.

I am not trying to score points here by exploiting a serious political incident. Just the Federation's merits are seldom considered by capsuleers. In essence, "democracy is not all bad". Consider the four great civilizations of the Federation, and the lesser known races. How could you bring those groups into interstellar union on equal terms without democracy? I feel that is an exercise in futility.

While Gallentean democracy will not have the efficiency of Caldari meritocracy or the stability of Amarrian autocracy, it will have the pluralism that neither of those systems could enshrine. We all have our strengths, and we all have our weaknesses.

I should perhaps clarify that Tibus Heth's dictatorship is exceptionalist, and thus he speaks only about dictatorship in general, not the normalized Caldari system.

Gee, I guess you got me then.

Let me counter.

Why would we allow the weak and illoyal into the state?

Democracy gives everyone a voice, no matter how 'foot-in-mouth' it may be, no?



Democracy does not discriminate based on who is strong and weak.

I have a diametrically opposite point of view: even the best and successful form of democracy is inferior to even corrupt dictatorship.

And I really doubt you can correct all kind of democracies peaceably. For example, take recent events happened in Luminaire solar system. Federal government were ready to sacrifice the whole planet, just to destroy one ship. Or even worse, they were trying to destroy the whole planet by staging attack on the said ship and the planet at the same time, luring ship to fire upon it. And what now? They are all still acting, safe and sound.

They are definitely not planning to correct themselves. They only way I see how to fix it, is to spill their blood.

Well you keep your democracy, and we'll keep our meritocracy. That said, you do make some good, if obvious, point... but I'll point out that Tibus Heth's five year Executorship was not something that should be considered 'normal' for the Caldari State. Keep in mind the hundreds of years we spent without anything like him.

Can any case study actually speak to the strength of a political system? All leaders have personalities; for that matter, all citizens do as well.

We've consistently been able to do away with governors that displease us. It's not a one-off thing. The thing about the crowd is that it won't take you to heaven -- at least not in the short term. But it'll keep you out of hell. Over the long term, I would argue that avoiding these disasters of truly awful leadership is what has allowed the Federation to prosper and endure.

People have many philosophical arguments as to why democracy must fail -- and yet on it shambles.

I could make a dummy Neocom avatar to talk about the same things if that will make you happy, Narcisa.

Indeed, these five years the State was shining with brilliance as never before, and our descendants will forever remember glorious rule of Executor Tibus Heth, revering him among such patriots as Admiral Tovil-Toba.